Socioeconomics risks of the irrigated fruit culture in the semi-arid area: the case of Livramento de Nossa Senhora, Bahia, Brasil

Abstract

Once the irrigated fruit culture replaced the garlic and rice cultivation, Livramento de Nossa Senhora became the second largest exporter of fruits from Bahia State, hence a reference point accordingly DNOCS projects for hydraulics solution. There can be found tomyatkins’ mangoes and passion fruit cultivation whose destination is Central Europe and the Brazilian market. However, which socioenvironmental impacts can be found due to the managerial model of Livramento’s land? Outcomes from field research corroborate with the hypothesis that the agribusiness center of Brumado has important socioenvironmental impacts for its interaction with the semi-arid area. Although it is profitable, there are some socioenvironmental vulnerabilities that may threaten its existence in the middle term. The settlers adopted a fragmented administration of the territory, in spite the existing committee to manage the basin. The agribusiness' operators make inappropriate use of their own abilities as entrepreneurs. Thus, the empiric-analytical research was carried out throughout a qualiquantitative method. Interviews, field diary and a questionnarie were the instruments for collecting the primary data. The non-representative sample considered 50 from 416 rural producers, owners of the land in the irrigated Perimeter of Brumado. key words: socioenvironmental sustainability, social entrepreneurship, sustainable development, agribusiness, irrigated fruit culture